For the Love of One
by nr7
Summary: The fight with the Volturi didn't go as expected at the end of Breaking Dawn. Bella had Nessie and Jacob run off when she knew there was no chance for their side. 20 years later Jake and Ness are living a life of seduction and robbery, guilt, and loss.
1. Chapter 1 Aftermath

**Hey everybody, so I am the type of reader who _hates it when authors take the characters and put them in a situation they would never, ever get themselves into, so if you're the same way, please don't give up on this story. It has a purpose for being slightly ooc, but then again, we don't really know Nessie's character do we anyway?? I hope you enjoy!! Don't forget to reviewwww =)_**

"I guess the question now is, my place or yours?" a handsome man asked, his Spanish accent barely noticeable.

Nessie took one seductive sip from her champagne glass before running her hand down from his chin to his belt.

"Yours, it's closer," she smiled at him seductively and tugged on his belt gently as she led the way out of the bar.

The man wrapped his arm around Nessie's waist and started to whisper into her ear, about all the things he wanted to do to her. Nessie just giggled along with him and responded in kind. To anybody looking, they seemed happy to have each other tonight.

As they reached the hotel, the man led Nessie to an elevator where a bellman stood waiting for occupants.

"What floor?" the man asked, not looking. His nametag read Francois, but he did not look French nor did he speak French. Nessie knew better than to look at him but she couldn't help but sneak a glance.

"7th," the man she was with responded. He turned to Nessie and started to kiss up her neck onto her jaw.

"Alejandro," she playfully batted him away but with little avail, the man brought his lips down crashing on hers, and she watched as the bell hop's veins enlarged and he clenched his fists tightly.

The elevator came to a halt and the doors dinged open, Alejandro pulled away from Nessie for only a moment as they exited the elevator and then attacked her again as they made their way down the hall.

Stumbling across the threshold of the door, the man held Nessie up against the wall as he ran his fingers through her hair and eventually ran his hand down to her chest, squeezing her breasts lightly. He pushed his hard on into her leg and she smiled at him.

"Let's not rush this Alejandro," she said and kissed his lips gently.

"You are the most beautiful women I've ever seen Vanessa, I must have you in everyway possible," Alejandro said desperately. His lips crashing down onto her neck and nibbling gently. Nessie smiled but pushed him away gently.

"Let me run into the bathroom, get a little more comfortable, and then you can do anything you want," she whispered into his ear, and gently bit the lobe. She felt him shiver in pleasure.

Alejandro backed away and with one last seductive look Nessie strutted into the bathroom and shut the door. Alejandro flopped down on his bed, he thought he had gotten so lucky; Vanessa was the most beautiful woman in the world.

Well he had gotten it half right, she was half vampire too. But her beauty was truly unparallel. Everyone stared at her wherever she went; she was tall and skinny, with a beautiful full face. She had chocolate brown eyes and wavy bronze colored hair that went past her shoulders. Any man's attention she won thought himself the luckiest man alive.

Within moments, Nessie reappeared from the bathroom, clad in only a black lace bra and underwear. A round shaped locket lay nestled in between her ample bosom. The lingerie showed off every single curve of her body that had been hidden her tight, short dress she had been wearing early.

Nessie strutted over to the bed where Alejandro laid and gently but with purpose began to unbutton his dress shirt.

"You're a feisty one," he said as she straddled him and let her breasts hang above his face.

"It's in my nature," she responded. He brought his hands up to unclasp her bra but she stopped him and forced his hands back on the bed.

"We play by my rules," she said as she held onto his wrists. "First rule being, I'm _always_ in control. Second, I _always_ get my way, and third, I _don't _ever play with my food." Her gripped tightened on his wrists immensely and a low snarl emanated from her throat as Alejandro had a look of horror on his face.

"Help!" he managed to scream out as Nessie brought her mouth to his throat and delicately with little force punctured it.

She wasn't a messy eater, and the fact that Jacob broke down the door while wearing the bellhop uniform didn't even startle her. She continued to drain the man as he reached out for Jacob who only gave him a disgusted look and pulled out his wallet from his pants. Pocketing that, he went over to the in rooms safe and broke that open to reveal an expensive looking watch and even more cash.

Nessie finished draining the human and left his lifeless body on the bed. Dabbing at the corners of her mouth she turned to Jacob who stood with his back against the wall and his arms crossed.

"Your parents would be so disappointed in you," he said referring to the human blood drinking.

"Well Paris isn't exactly the breeding ground for wildlife now is it?" she responded and he tossed her a pair of jeans and a tee shirt he had hidden in the closet earlier. Nessie, Vanessa as her name had changed when she and Jacob ran away that day, was not a monster. She believed in her family's ideas of drinking animal blood only, but as a treat or when time called for it she would result to human blood. She walked over to Jacob and they embraced, she knew how hard this was for him, she didn't like doing it either.

"Mmm, tasty…" he joked as the taste of blood filled her mouth.

"Sorry, I should brush my teeth," she said smiling and bringing her hand up to her mouth.

They made to exit the room and Jacob gently picked the door back up. They walked down the hall to the stairwell and began heading for the back entrance. They did not speak in this final part of their journey, they knew better than to draw attention to them. Instead they just went as quickly as it was unnoticeable and exited to the car.

Once in and safe, they sped off getting even further away.

"So how much did we make?" she asked turning to look at the only man she loved.

"Nine hundred," he responded and they both smiled. The day the Volturi had attacked her family, a fight larger than anyone expected broke out. Before either of them could see what happened Bella had told them to run and get as far away as possible. As Jacob broke out into a sprint, Nessie on his back, they both heard Bella's piercing scream.

That imaged still haunted both of them 20 years later, but they did all they could to suppress it. They had had to adopt a new lifestyle since then, and the act of seducing and robbery had now become their means of survival.

Nessie started counting the money as Jacob drove onwards. He hated this lifestyle. He hated that he failed Bella and Edward in so many ways, that he allowed Nessie to seduce men and then they robbed them. This wasn't the life she should have led. Everyday he wished he could find another solution, another means of survival, but it was all they could do to get by at a time.

The first time Nessie had suggested the idea he had been adamant that he would never let her do that, then he had got caught for stealing food from a market and been but in prison in Rio de Janero, a place you just did not want to be. He remembered how Nessie had walked into the station wearing barely anything and had gotten the keys from the officer before draining his body of blood. She looked wild, blood smeared down her face and torso, and that was when she convinced him of what they had to do.


	2. Chapter 2 The Guilt

"_50 Euros for the night?_" Nessie said in perfect French and then looked at Jacob. "_We'll take it."_ her French was flawless as the old lady led her and Jacob up to a bedroom on the second floor. They were on the outskirts of France which was infested with poor people trying to make some money anyway they could. The couple that owned the house rented rooms out, and this was a regular means of sleeping in a bed for Nessie and Jacob.

"I'm exhausted," Nessie said falling down on the bed.

"Me too Kid," Jacob responded and laid down next to her. He was trying to think of their next plan of attack. "So where to next?"

"I don't know, when the world is at your fingertips you just have too many options," Nessie responded cuddling up next to him, he hugged her nice and tight.

"We could go to Switzerland, or Germany, the UK even," Jacob said thinking out loud.

"I want to go to Italy." The room was dead quiet for a moment.

"Ness, that's not a good idea," Jacob said. The Volturi were in Italy, and hadn't they been running from them for 20 years.

"Robberies happen all the time, all over the world. We won't make spectacles of ourselves, and we don't even know where they live anyway," she said and started tracing mindless images on his chest.

"But why run the risk?" he asked, his gut was telling him this was not a good idea.

"I… I don't know. It would just make me feel closer to them," Nessie responded and she couldn't bring her gaze up to meet his. He kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Why do I always end up listening to everything you say?" he asked and they both laughed.

"Because I am _always_ right," Nessie chuckled.

They got changed for bed and cuddled together. Jacob held Nessie in his arms and waited until her deep even breathing was the only sound in the room. He couldn't sleep; Italy was not the place for them to go. It was too dangerous; everything Bella had ever asked him to do was going to be broken by going to Italy. But he didn't answer to Bella's requests anymore, only her daughter's, and he couldn't find it in himself to deny Nessie the chance to somehow feel closer to her family.

As Jacob began to drift to sleep, Nessie started screaming in her sleep.

"Shh, baby, wake up," he gently shook her.

"Oh, oh Jake," Nessie cried into his chest. Much like Bella, Nessie had night terrors that made her scream on an almost daily basis.

"It's okay, it was just a dream," he said and kissed her head. She brought her hand to his cheek and replayed what happened.

_"You're going to look beautiful!" Alice and Rosalie chimed as they fixed Renesmee's hair and make up. Bella stood in front of her daughter beaming. _

_ "Momma, what do you think?" Nessie had asked._

_ "You're breathtaking, Jake's not going to know what to think!" her mother said and kissed her on the forehead. Edward then appeared at the door of the room wearing a tuxedo. His mouth hung open a little as he looked at his only daughter. _

_ "Daddy?" Nessie asked, worried for him. If Edward could cry he would now. _

_ "I love you so much Ness, forever," he said walking over to her and kissing her forehead. He took her by her hand and led her to a stairwell. Wagner's march began to play and he led her down the stairs, her white dress trailing behind her. At the bottom of the stairs she looked ahead and saw Jacob, standing tall and proud, a tear in his eye at the sight of her. She smiled at him and an overwhelming sense of joy filled her, she was going to marry Jacob! She had waited forever for this, to make it official. _

_ "Who gives this woman away?" the priest asked, his eyes were red. _

_ "Daddy, don't it's a trick," Nessie tried to warn her father but it was to no avail. _

_ "Her mother and I do," Edward said. Then all havoc was released. _

_ The priest was Aro, his brothers waiting in the wings. Alec and Jane and all of the other Volturi bodyguards stood from their seats in the pew and started to attack. _

_ "Ness, Run!" Bella's voice shouted out, but this time Ness was rooted in her spot. She watched as her mother, and father, and aunts and uncles and grandparents, and her Jacob were ripped apart by the Volturi. She stood there screaming for them to stop, crying, begging. _

_ "Take me, you want me! Take me!" she said turning to Aro, but everyone was already gone. _

_ "You foolish girl, you could have spared their lives," Aro responded as he walked closer to Nessie. "Never the less, we have gotten what we came here for, brothers?" the other two men nodded in agreement. _

_ "Momma, Dad, Jake!" Nessie cried as she was being dragged off. _

"You aren't responsible for what happened, Ness. It wasn't your fault," Jake said holding her nice and tight.

"I was," she cried into her chest. "Everyone died because of me."

"That's not true. They had it out for your family well before you were in the picture," Jacob tried to reassure her. He hated not knowing what to say.

"And I just made it happen all the more quicker!" Nessie said sitting up.

"That's not true, everyone would tell you that's not true."

"But they aren't here, Jake." It was the harsh reality they were faced with everyday.

"No, they aren't," he said regretfully and wiped a tear that escaped Renesmee's eye. "But they would want you to be happy."

Nessie brought her hands to her temples and rubbed them and smiled.

"I am happy, with you," she said. "You have to know that, I just can't get past the guilt." Jacob hugged her and rubbed her arms. "And it's not just the guilt of my family, it's the guilt that I took you away from your home and you pack, it's the fact that I can't marry you no matter how badly I want to, it's the fact that I made us do what we do, its so many things," Nessie cried into Jake's shoulder and he hushed her.

"You are my family Nessie, you are everything I need. And I don't need a ring to tell me I'm with you forever, I know that. I love you more than anything in this world and I would never ever leave you. And I'll change the situation for us, I'm so sorry it is like this now," Jacob reassured the sobbing girl.

"It's not that I don't want to marry you Jake, it's just that I can't fathom doing it without my family. I know I was only a few months old, but there are still so vivid to me…" she trailed off. Jacob didn't need to hear anymore, they had this conversation on an almost nightly basis. He knew how she felt, and he didn't blame her. If his family had been viciously murdered, he wouldn't have been able to get married either, not without them there.

He held her in his arms and she soon drifted to sleep. Jacob inhaled deeply at the scent of her hair and kissed the top of his head. This was all he need, just Nessie.


	3. Chapter 3 True Love

**Read and review please!! enjoy!!**

Jake was still hesitant as they drove through Italy, trying to convince Nessie to go anywhere else. But much like her mother, Nessie held strong in her convictions, and Italy was where she wanted to be.

It was a beautiful country, that went without saying. They were driving along a coastal road, windows down and Nessie's hair was flying everywhere. They smell of the ocean hit their faces as the sped down the road; it had been forever since either had seen a beach.

"Do you think we can go for a swim later?" Nessie asked, turning towards Jake.

"What ever you wish babe," he smiled at her.

They continued to drive for a good part of an hour before coming across a little run down hotel. They had enough money to last them for at least a week if not more, and they were happy to just be stationary for that long.

"_Thank you sir," _Nessie said in Italian as a man brought them to their room. Her Italian wasn't as strong as her French, but she could get by. Jake placed the bags down on the ground as Nessie opened the curtains to let the sunshine in.

The room looked like it had been empty for years, and not cleaned in months. Dust coated every surface of the room, and it was stuffy. Nessie went to turn down the bed, she hated dirty places.

"Yuck!" she cried out, the sheets had turned yellow from disuse and looked like they hadn't been washed. "Jake, this is gross."

Jacob walked over to look at the sight and chuckled.

"For a girl on the run, you sure are picky," he teased and she rolled her eyes.

"Sorry my dog senses don't just let me sleep anywhere," she responded.

"What, it's comfier than the ground," Jake responded and flopped down, her jaw hung open in shock that anyone would lay on that. "It'd be comfier if you joined me you know," he said and patted the spot beside him.

"Not a chance, I'd rather sleep outside," she said crossing her arms, but she knew what was coming next. "Jake! Put me down!" she yelped as he picked her up.

"On the bed? Okay!" he said and she flopped down face first.

"Gross!" she cried and repositioned herself on top of him.

"Now this works as well," Jake teased and kissed her.

"It works for me too," Nessie said and kissed him back. Jake sat up so that he could kiss Nessie with more intensity and passion. Wrapping his arms around her body and holding her close.

Nessie straddled him and stood straight on her knees so that her breasts were in his face. He squeezed them through her shirt and she threw her head back smiling.

They had been intimate since her 16th birthday, a night she could never forget. She loved Jacob with such a burning passion that she couldn't find the proper words to tell him. This act of being close to him, as close as any two people could get was the only way she could come close to telling him how she felt.

The feeling was more than mutual for Jacob as well. He had long ago told her about from the second her first laid eyes on her, their lives were forever intertwined. Nessie was Jacob's everything, without her he'd be less than nothing, a shell of his former self.

Nessie pulled Jacob's shirt off of him to reveal his sculpted body. In 20 years, Jacob had barely changed a muscle. He still phased everyday to ensure his immortal life span, but he had finished growing and Nessie found him the most beautiful creature on earth.

She pushed Jacob back down on the bed and removed her own shirt as well, letting her breasts hang in his face. Jacob rubbed his face in them before kissing what he could. He brought one hand up and unclasped her bra with ease, and she let it fall off her shoulders.

With only a seconds hesitation of admiration, Jacob started sucking on one of Nessie's breasts and a low growl emitted from her throat, she loved when he did this to her.

She brought her lips crashing down onto his as her hand snaked down to his pants and started massaging his hard on. Jacob let out a moan of pleasure, her touch always felt so good.

He slowly stood up and Nessie wrapped her arms around his neck as they made out while he walked her into a wall. Carefully, she brought one hand down and unzipped his jeans so that his cock stood out, rock hard. He pushed her skirt up and slowly entered her as he pushed her against the wall.

"Jeez Ness, are you trying to kill me? You're so tight," he said as the feeling of her walls engulfed him.

"I try," she responded and moved her hips trying to get him to start. He laughed at her and began to slowly pull out before slamming back into her.

"Harder," she pleaded; she loved him being inside of her. Moaning and gasping for breath Nessie came, the clenching of her walls around him made Jacob cum as well.

Nessie held on to him as he walked both of them back to the bed. They laid there catching their breath.

"I love you," she said breathlessly into his chest.

"I love you forever," he responded and kissed the top of her head. They soon drifted off into a peaceful sleep, wrapped in each other's arms.

A few hours had passed and Nessie awoke, her stomach growling.

"Jake," she whispered into his ear, shaking him.

"What?" he asked worried but eyes still shut.

"Are you hungry?" she asked running her hand up the side of his chest.

"When am I not hungry?" he asked and she giggled.

"Well then, how about I take a shower, and get ready and we can go out around town and look for something to eat," Nessie suggested and kissed his nose.

"Don't you mean _someone_?" he teased and she rolled her eyes.

" I was thinking food-food, but what ever you prefer," she responded, rolling off the bed and walking towards the bathroom.

Jake grumbled something but she couldn't hear. She turned the water on and waited for it to heat up.

She undressed herself once again, throwing her clothes in a pile, and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror.

_'I should cut my hair,'_ she thought playing with it. It wasn't that it was so long too maintain, it was just a hassle to deal with sometimes. But so many people loved her long hair, she remembered her mother in particular.

_"I don't think I could ever stand cutting your hair," Bella said as finished brushing her daughters curly locks. _

_ "Momma, it's so long though," Nessie responded turning to face her. _

_ "It's so beautiful, I would love to have hair like yours!" Bella replied and both mother and daughter looked into the mirror. Nessie stood up and took a handful of hair and placed it on her mother's head so that it hung in her face, Bella's laugh chimed through the room. _

_ "You can have it!" Nessie laughed as well. Bella then picked her daughter up and spun her around. _

When Nessie opened her eyes again, tears had begun to slip down her cheek.

"Momma, I miss you," she said to the great beyond, hoping her mother could hear her, hoping that she would respond. But she knew this was a foolish thought and tried to shake out of it. For the past 20 years Nessie had tried to talk with her parents, her family, knowing she'd never get a response back, but just hoping a sign would appear. She knew it was a dumb idea, but somehow being in Italy, the home to the Vampire Kingdom, she thought she had the best chance of hearing them here.

Wiping the tears from her face once again, she stepped into the hot shower, the water washing away all her sad feelings. As much as she missed everyone she lost, at least she still had her Jacob, her only saving grace.


	4. Chapter 4Visions

**My favorite chapter yet!! please review!! enjoy!!**

The streets were busy at twilight. Jacob and Nessie, fully satiated from an authentic Italian dinner walk hand in hand taking in the sights of the city and window shopping. It was times like this that they both loved, when they could be almost normal and not have to seduce, or steal, or be on the run. They got to just enjoy life.

"Oh, lets go in here Ness," Jake said pulling her in the direction of a car dealership.

"Jake," she said rolling her eyes. She never understood his fascination of cars. They were just hunks of metal that took you from point a to point b, sure, some of them were prettier than others, but at the end of the day that's al they were.

Jake began salivating as they walked around the show room, stopping at every car to admire what ever he could about it.

"_Hello sir, can I help you today?" _a tall Italian man asked in a thick accent. Jake looked at him trying to form a sentence in Italian.

_"Just looking,"_ Jake attempted.

"Oh, American I see," the man said in English and Jake had a wave of relief hit him. "In that case sir, my name is Roberto, can I help you with anything this evening?"

"I'm just looking Roberto, I'm in the market for a new vehicle and I just wanted to see what was out there," Jacob lied too easily.

"In that case, please Mr.?"

"Wolfe, Jacob Wolfe, and my wife Vanessa Wolfe," Jake introduced and Nessie shook her head in greeting.

"A pleasure to meet you both, now if you please I'd love to show you some cars over here…" Roberto said and Jacob followed him like a puppy. Nessie stayed in the front of the show room, she hated the name Vanessa.

It wasn't that it was an ugly name, but it was so plain, nothing compared to the uniqueness of Renesmee, not that anybody called her that anymore.

It had taken some getting used to to be called Vanessa in the beginning, and even now sometimes she didn't respond to the name, although that was rare.

Nessie took a seat in one of the chairs by the door to wait for Jacob, he was so good to her, and he deserved his time to enjoy things he loved. Nessie looked around and saw a girl who looked to be 16 or 17 looking at cars with her parents.

Nessie began to wonder if her parent's would have taken her to pick out a car on her 16th birthday, even though she had been driving since she was seven. She would've liked the excitement of a dealership and having any car in the world to choose from, but more so than that she would've just liked the memory and bonding with her parents.

She felt tears start to form, but didn't want them to. She stood up and walked outdoors, Jake would find her. She began to walk down the street until she came to a small jewelry shop. She walked in just to take her mind off things and was amazed by the beauty of each piece she looked at.

They were all so beautiful and sparkling, like her family's skin. As she walked down the rows of jewelry she came to the engagement ring section.

"_Looking to get married?"_ a tiny woman asked her who reminded her of her aunt Alice.

"_Not anytime soon,"_ Nessie responded with a small smile. The sales lady had seem many women walk into the store on a daily basis and admire the beauty of the jewelry, wishing beyond hope that they would one day be given a piece like that.

_"Would you like to see any?"_ she asked, sympathizing with the beautiful young woman in front of her. The sales clerk noticed a certain sadness in Nessie's eyes and felt compelled to alleviate it.

_"No, that's alright- Actually,"_ Nessie said as her eyes caught a glimpse of this one ring. "_Could I see that one, please?"_ the sales clerk nodded her head emphatically and removed it from the case.

_"It's beautiful, isn't it? So simple too,"_ she said handing it to Nessie who slid it on her ring finger. It was a tiny ring, with a small diamond sitting at the top. It had tiny diamonds along the thing band, and it glimmered in the light that sat upon the counter.

_ "It's gorgeous,"_ Nessie smiled at thought of Jacob giving it to her.

"Hey babe," Jake said walking in and putting his hands on her shoulders. Nessie jumped in surprise, she wasn't expecting him to walk in. she took the ring off her hand quickly and handed it back to the clerk.

_"Thank you,"_ Nessie said, her faced slightly flushed. The clerk smiled and let them leave the store.

"How were the cars?" Nessie asked, not bringing her eyes up to look at Jacob.

"Nice," Jake said, he stopped her from walking and made her turn to face them. "Ness, one day when I can, when this is behind us, I will get you the biggest diamond in the world and place it on your finger. Even if we never have a wedding, you deserve that much," Jacob said feeling guilty. He wanted to give Nessie the world.

"Jake," she said. "I don't want any diamonds, or rings, or anything. I have you and that's all I need." She smiled up at him; he was so kind and good to her.

"I promise you, one day I will Nessie," he kissed her gently. "But I can get you gelato in the mean time to make up for it." she couldn't help but laugh.

"That sounds perfect," she said and the laced fingers as they headed for a little cart at the end of the block that was selling the Italian version of ice cream.

"Do you think my parent's would have wanted us to get married? Even if they weren't here?" Nessie asked leaning her head against his arm. Jake was slightly taken aback by the question; she had never asked that before.

"I think they would want us to be happy, they would want you to do what ever made you happy and comfortable," he responded running his hand through her hair.

"But I mean do you think they would want us to have a wedding, a white dress, a tux, all of that?" Nessie asked looking into his eyes.

"Knowing your aunts, they'd want you to have a huge extravaganza," Jacob laughed and a small laugh escaped her lips.

"If we ever had one, I mean if they were here for it, I'd just want something small, on the beach, with my family and your pack," Nessie said letting herself think about it for the first time ever. Jake smiled in approval as they reached the gelato cart.

"I'm sure they'd make what ever you wanted the most beautiful wedding ever," Jake said knowing full well that would be the case. Nessie smiled.

"Two chocolate," Jake said pointing to the flavor. The man behind the counter nodded. He filled one cup up and handed it to Jacob who handed it to Nessie. She gladly took a bite.

"You know, I don't know why exactly, but I feel like, like they aren't that far away here. That if I concentrate I could just-," Nessie said but stopped dead in her sentence. A small gust of wind from the east had blown past her nose, and a scent she had never truly forgotten but hadn't smelled in years attacked her. She looked in the direction of where the scent came from, her jaw hung open.

"Momma?" she barely whispered and dropped her gelato as the person standing in the distance turned to run in the opposite direction. Nessie, without thought took off after her. Was that really her mom? Bella? That was impossible though, Bella had been murdered years ago.

"Nessie!" Jacob said but she didn't register her name being called. She ran as fast as she could, chasing the scent she knew her mother had left, even if it was impossible. She ran until she reached a dead end, and look around. Maybe there was a ladder, a window, something for her mother to climb up, but the trail of her scent ended here. The person had just vanished.

"MOM!" Nessie yelled out loud and collapsed to the ground.


	5. Chapter 5 The Truth

**Thank you to all my reviewers =)) i love the feedback!! keep it coming!!! here's the next chapter, it only gets better from here!! **

"Ness! What's wrong?" Jacob yelled as he approached her collapsed body, she was sobbing.

"My mother's alive!" she exclaimed, tears pouring down her face, but she was still smiling. The statement took Jacob off guard, and he looked at her, his head cocked in confusion.

"Nessie, what do you mean?" he asked crouching down next to her, he thought she was going crazy.

"Do you smell that? Jake, tell me you smell it? It's her scent!" Nessie said pointing to the air around her. Jacob took a sniff, there was a hint of a familiar scent there, but he couldn't say it was Bella's. So many times, especially after she died he swore he smelled her, but it would just be someone with a close scent, and not his best friend.

"Ness," he said his voice trailing off.

"And it was her! I saw her! With her brown hair, and she was pale, and her eyes were golden- Jake, she's alive! I've got to find her!" Nessie said standing up, determined to figure out where she went from this dead end. She walked over to a loose brick in a wall and tried jumping up to reach it, but her attempt was futile.

"Nessie, stop," Jacob said and hugged her. Nessie broke down in his arms.

"I know I saw her, I wouldn't make this up," she said looking up at him.

"I know you wouldn't, but honey, it wasn't her. I'm so sorry," Jacob said and kissed her head as Nessie tucked her face into his shirt.

"It was Jake, it was her," Nessie said. She brought her hand up to his cheek and replayed what happened. Seeing this, Jacob's doubt wavered, the short glimpse did look like Bella, but there were so many people out there who did.

"Come on," he said and they began walking back to the street.

In silence, they ended up back at the hotel, but neither of them wanted to go in for the night. Nessie who had been tucked under Jacob's arm all night walked away from him and headed for the beach that was not too far away. Jacob followed in silence, consumed by his own thoughts.

He knew that Bella was dead. The idea had been hard enough for him to accept years ago that he didn't want to have to re-convince himself. But the image Nessie showed him had him asking himself if he was wrong. The scent was so Bella, she smelled of freesia and lavender, and the scent Nessie had smelled was that to a tee, but it was impossible. And while Nessie did not get a good glimpse at the person who ran, if it wasn't Bella, it was an extremely close look alike. She was the same size and shape as the Bella Jacob knew and loved, and had the same hair color, but that's all he could say for sure.

But what Jacob knew for sure was that it would only end up hurting Nessie and him more if they tried to pretend that she was alive, when they both knew she wasn't. She couldn't be.

He plopped down on the sand as Nessie kicked off her shoes and with determination walked to the waters edge. She let the ocean rush past her ankles, and the smell of the sea hit her in the face, but nothing could replace the scent of her mother. She had never been more sure of anything in her life than she was right now. Her mother was alive, and she would do what ever she had to find her, even if it meant risking her own life all over again.

She kicked the water before retreating back to the beach where she sat between Jake's legs, his arms holding her tight.

"I knew I felt like I was closer to them here," she said into the night, the stars glistened in the sky. Jacob sighed. He didn't want to hurt Nessie anymore, but to pretend that her mother was still alive would only end up hurting her in the end more so. He kept his mouth shut; maybe tonight would be the night to let her dream of what a perfect scenario could be.

"Jake?" Nessie asked, looking up at the stars.

"Yes?" he responded and pushed some sand around with his feet.

"Could you tell me a story, one about my parents?" Nessie asked. Jacob had known her mother since she was a baby, and knew her father when they started dating. Nessie also knew that Jacob had vied for her mother, but she was okay with that mostly.

"Which one would you like to hear?" he asked and pushed some hair gently behind her year.

"When she was turned."

Jacob sighed again, remembering his pain as Nessie was born and he watched Bella become a vampire. While he now accepted the Cullen's and their ways, knew Bella was still Bella, and was forever intertwined with Nessie, the pain he felt in those moments was so intense it was unforgettable.

"Well your father and I had never gotten along…ever," Jacob began and Nessie got a small smile on her face, she was only all too well aware of that fact. "When your mother became pregnant with you, we were as close as brothers because we agreed on one topic, we didn't want _you_ in the picture. You were a monster, still are I say-"

"Hey!" she said playfully smacking him and they both laughed.

"And we were convinced you would take away the thing we cherished most, your mother. For weeks we watched you bruise and break your mom from the inside out, and we were defenseless. Ness, to be honest, we hated you, but your mother knew you were just growing and needed room, that you weren't trying to hurt her, that you weren't a monster either.

"After she drank some blood, which apparently satiated your temper, even then, she was feeling better than ever since conceiving you. Until she went into labor. To say it was an emergency birthing wouldn't be enough. You were dying inside her and all she could focus on was getting you out alive. The birth was disgusting, sorry, but it was. I mean your dad had to bite down on the placenta, I couldn't look, and when I heard you crying I couldn't look either. I was ready to throw you out the window. But your father handed you to your mother, and you bit down on her, then I was doubly ready to throw you out the window, hoping you'd hit a few branches on the way down."

"You know you really do have a violent side to you," Nessie teased at his vivid descriptions of his original hatred towards her, she had heard this story before.

"You changed me kid, but anyway getting back to the story. So you were carted off, and Bella lay there dying, and your father took syringes of his venom and pumped them into her system like this," Jacob described, making a needle with his finger and sticking it into her wrist. "And that was the end of the human Bella. I couldn't bare to stand there and watch her so I left, and then I saw you. I was going to kill you but when I looked in your eyes, you changed me. I saw our future and we were to never be apart. You were the only thing that would keep me whole from then on, and I loved you with every ounce of my being, and then I realized how your father felt for your mother, something I was never able to understand before. And I realized what I had was so, so much better." Jacob finished. The last part was more for himself, it always amazed him how much he was able to love Nessie.

She sighed contentedly.

"Jake, do you know why I love that story?" she asked intertwining his fingers with hers. "Because it shows how my mother was always right, and it made you and my father bond and become civil if nothing else, and it shows how just seeing one thing, a face, can change your entire world." She was referring to the person she saw earlier on the street.

Jacob squeezed her tight.

"Nessie I want it to be your mother more than you can imagine," he said and kissed her hair.

"Don't worry Jake, it is her, she's still out there," Nessie responded, and they spent the next few hours staring up into the starlight of the night.

***

Jacob had not slept well the night before, images of Bella and Edward and all the Cullen's surrounding him. It was amusing to him how much he had detested them, and how his entire opinion changed with just one girl.

He had gotten little sleep, and the sun was just lighting up the sky when he decided it would be the perfect time to phase and go for a run. He left a short note for Nessie saying he'd be back soon and left the room.

Walking towards a thicket of woods he removed his clothes and phased. He smelled the air for any human presence, there was none.

Running was the only thing that could block his thoughts out; it was just him and his paws hitting the ground rhythmically.

Except the crunch of the ground below him, there was absolute silence. Pushing himself as hard as he could, Jacob ran to the forest's edge and turned back, headed home to Nessie.

"Jacob." The voice was soft but strong. Jacob stumbled to a halt, tripping over himself. His heart stopped as he looked in the direction of the voice. From behind a branch, Edward, dressed in a black robe stepped out into Jacob's view.

Without realizing it himself Jacob phased back to his human self. He was in complete and total shock.

"Edward?" he managed to get out. "But how? I thought, we thought, you're supposed to be dead…. Nessie was right!" he exclaimed with joy.

Edward had not aged; everything was as perfect about him as it was 20 years ago. His eyes were darker though now, it wasn't the black of hunger but a black of loss. He stood there, completely still.

"What's wrong?" Jacob asked rushing over to Edward.

"Jacob, you and Renesmee have to get out of Italy, now."

"What do you mean? Nessie has to see you! She thought she saw Bella last night, and it must've been. What about Carlisle and Esmee? Are they alive, Blondey and Emmett?" Jacob said, opportunities like this, like the dead coming back to life didn't happen.

"That was Bella, and yes they are. But you can't be here, you must leave. It was so stupid for you to come here, what were you thinking? Go get her and leave, don't let her know you saw me," Edward said and put his hood up and went to turn. Jacob grabbed him by the arm.

"What do you mean? We can't leave, your alive! She has to see her family! Do you know what its been like for the both of us?" Jacob almost screamed at him.

Edward shook his head at him.

"I lost my daughter too Jacob, but I know she is living a better life than what her mother and family are trapped in. take her and leave, now, don't waste anytime, the Volturi must not be alerted," Edward responded hard and cold.

"A better life? We've been on the run ever since that day! Look at all my memories, look at everything we had to do," Jacob said recalling them and letting Edward hear them.

A snarl emitted from his throat and without a seconds notice he flung Jacob against a tree.

"How could you let my daughter do this? Do you not love her? Have you no respect? I should kill you." Edward threatened, his forearm pressing into Jacob's throat.

"Do you think I wanted this life for her?" Jacob screamed at him. "I'd do _anything_ to give her everything you could've, but this is what it has become. Edward, what ever your problems are, we can fix them. Run away with us, we can go anywhere. Just make her family whole again, please!" Jacob pushed his arm away from his throat.

"I can't change anything no matter how badly I want to. Just Jake, promise me you'll leave today, this morning, get as far away as you can and don't say anything to her. Please."

"I won't lie to her," Jacob responded.

"Just leave," Edward said and turned to head back to wherever he came from. Gone again, forever this time.


End file.
